Time
Game time is different from real time. When a players says 'My character is looking into this room', the gamesmaster will turn to the relevant entry in the scenario, see what is in the room, and describe it to the player. This takes several seconds of real time, but in game time the character would have taken it all in at a glance. On the other hand, the characters might travel from one town to another; the GM decides that there are no encounters during the trip and says, 'OK, you get there safely.' This only take a few seconds of real time, but can occupy hours or even days of game time. Narrative and Detailed Time Most of the time during an adventure, the gamesmaster will simply narrate the options available to the players, inform them of the results of their decisions, and tell them if anything untoward is happening. The GM should have a rough idea of how much game time has elapsed (e.g., a split-second, ten minutes, a couple of hours, several days), but it is not necessary to keep track of things second by second. Sooner or later, though, a situation will arise which needs to be played through in detail and then the GM should make sure that everything that takes place is done round by round and turn by turn. There are no hard-and-fast rules about this, since the game is so flexible that almost anything can happen, but common sense should tell the GM what sort of timekeeping is required at any given time. For example, imagine the players are approaching a deserted cabin. The GM knows that a large bear has taken residence, but the players are as yet unaware of this. Play might proceed like this: GM: You come to a clearing in the woods. You can see a small cabin about 20 yards ahead. Player: I stop and looking at the cabin - are there any lights, smoke, or signs of habitation? GM: No, nothing at all. Some of the windows are broken in and it looks deserted. Player: We approach the door cautiously, weapons drawn, covered by the Elf with his bow. GM: You reach the door - still no signs of life. The door is slightly ajar. Player: OK - I push the door open and quickly step inside. The Elf is ready with his bow. GM: Inside you see a huge mound of fur. Slowly, a sleeply head looks up and the creature prepares to attack - it's a bear! The first part of the sequence is played out as pure narrative - the players simply state what they are doing and the GM tells them the results of their actions. Now that the party has a rather annoyed bear on its hands, though, things will have to be played through in detail as they either fight the beast or try to get away from it. It is not necessary or desirable for the GM to rigidly impose game turns on the players. It is not a good idea, for instance, to say 'It is now game turn one... It is now game turn two... It is now game turn three...' and so on. The proper procedure is simply to say 'It takes you roughly five minutes to reach the house' or 'You wait on the corner of the street for about a quarter of an hour before your friends turn up'. Units Of Time Game time is measured in two standard units. Game Turns: A game turn is equivalent to approximately a minute. During a game turn, a character may accomplish what a real person could do in similar circumstances in a minute. Many of the actions permitted in the rules are described as taking a certain number of Game Turns. Rounds: Some actions, such as closing a door, striking a blow in combat, or speaking a few words, take only a few seconds. In some situations, that few seconds makes all the difference between life and death. A round is equivalent to approximately ten seconds; so, during a round, a character may accomplish what a real person could do in similar circumstances in ten seconds. Many of the actions permitted in the game are described as taking a certain number of Rounds. As you will have noticed, there are six Rounds in a Turn. Rounds are used in combat and other situations where time is of the essence. Category:Rules